Process and Communication Interface for Tracking Injection Molded Parts

ABSTRACT

A process and communication interface for tracking injection molded parts including the reading and/or storing of information from/to an information device attached to a container by a molding machine control system having a communication device for communicating with the information device.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates, generally, to a process and communicationinterface for tracking large quantities of molded parts, particularlythe invention relates to the reading and/or storing of informationfrom/to an information device attached to a container by a moldingmachine control system having a communication device for communicatingwith the information device.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

U.S. Pat. No. 6,148,291 to Radican describes a comprehensive inventorymonitoring system. The system communicates and stores information oncontainer movement and tracks movements by means of a centralizedcomputer system.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,164,530 to Cheesebrow et al describes a disk carrierthat has an radio frequency identification device (RFID) embedded on it.The RFID includes a code identifying the carrier and the wafers or diskswithin the carrier and the processing operations to which the batch hasbeen subjected.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,483,434 UmiKer describes a container tracking systemthat includes a transponder located on the container. Information isstored on the transponder to track the travels of the container and theconditions to which it has been exposed. The container is designed tocarry a specific cargo such as fruit or vegetables that must bedelivered within a specified time and must be maintained within anacceptable environment during transport. The transponder identifies thearticles within the container by inference and is reprogrammed each timethe container is loaded and includes sensors to sense conditions duringtravel of the container. The patent relates to time sensitive systemswhere each transponder is regularly polled.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,563,417 to Shaw describes apparatus for identifying andmonitoring products that have an RFID or are in a container having anRFID. The patent is concerned with systems for tracking the location ofthe parts within the distribution system.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,667,092 to Brollier et al describes a corrugated boxhaving an RFID attached to the liner board of the box.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,669,089 to Cybuski et al describes an asset trackingsystem. An RFID is located on a forklift truck and is used to identifythe asset being moved by the forklift.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,814,287 to Chung et al describes a pallet that has anRFID device located within the pallet. The patent contemplates using theRFID device to identify the pallet or the inventory held on the pallet.The primary purpose of the invention is to provide means for reliablyattaching the RFID device to the pallet.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,859,745 to Carr et al describes the location of anintegrated circuit device within the article itself. A packaging machinemay be used to write information on or read information from the device.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,883,710 to Kwong-Tai Chung describes a system fortracking an article through multiple stations where smart tags areassociated with the articles.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,895,301 to Mountz describes an inventory managementsystem that includes mobile drive units that navigate a factory floor todeliver inventory items to packing stations. RFID are used to identifyindividual movable inventory pods and individual inventory items withinthose pods.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,917,291 to Allen describes apparatus for identifying andmonitoring products moving along a distribution path using RFID tagsmounted on the product or the carrier for the product.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,959,229 to Eidenmiller describes a system for routing acarrier on a movable conveyance system where each product carrierincludes a readable tag. The tag identifier is fed to a controller thatoperates a switching station to direct the carrier onto the appropriateconveyor.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,069,100 to Monette et al describes an automatedmanufacturing system that uses information carriers on the objects to betraced within the system. The information carriers include informationincluding identification, material and production information on theobject. The patent includes updating RFID carriers as the processing ofthe object progresses through multiple stages. The stages may not belinked as the information may be carried by the RFID tags attached tothe materials or components to be processed.

US Published Patent Application 2002/0073646 A1 describes a system forapplying an identifier to a container that relates to the contentswithin the container. The content information is obtained through asensor that senses the contents of the closed container.

US Published Patent Application 2003/0067381 A1 to Mitchell et aldescribes a system where a programmable RFID label is attached to a toteor bin used in a manufacturing process.

US Published Patent Application 2004/0113786 A1 to Maloney describes asystem for maintaining the security of items deposited in a securecontainer. A computer keeps track of the contents of the securecontainer so that when the container is removed and returned it canverify that the contents are as they should be.

US Published Patent Application 2004/0135691 A1 to Duron et al describesan RFID arrangement for a container that enables the container to belocated in a stack of containers.

US Published Patent Application 2005/0222701 A1 to Ekberg describes amanufacturing system and process where a transportable memory isattached to material used in the manufacturing process. Thetransportable memory provides information to the computer controllingthe manufacturing operation to enable the computer to select theappropriate manufacturing process.

US Published Patent Application 2006/0054705 A1 to Garton et aldescribes apparatus for attaching a removable RFID to a container formultiple articles.

US Published Patent Application 2006/0071072 A1 to McDonald describes asystem for tracking a plurality of items by use of an RF tag thatidentifies a carrier unit.

Commonly assigned US Published Patent Application 2006/0082009 A1 toQuail et al. describes a memory device for a molding machine, the memorydevice associated with mold set-up data relating to an article to bemolded.

There is a need for an inexpensive automated system for tracking largequantities of inexpensive parts such as preforms from an injectionmolding machine.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

The present invention provides an automated process and system forautomatically updating an RFID on a container or pallet as the containerreceives products from the machine.

In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, acommunication interface is provided between a control system of amolding machine and an information device attached to a container. Theinterface comprises a communication device of the molding machinecontrol system configured to communicate with the information device onthe container.

In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention a process isprovided for tracking injection molded parts. The process includesconfiguring a communication interface between a communication device ofa molding machine control system and information device attached to amolded part storage container for performing at least one oftransmitting information relating to the molded part from the controlsystem (51) for storage in the information device, receiving informationstored in the information device in the control system for updating abusiness control system that is linked to the control system.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

A better understanding of the exemplary embodiments of the presentinvention (including alternatives and/or variations thereof) may beobtained with reference to the detailed description of the exemplaryembodiments along with the following drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of an exemplary computer controlledinjection molding machine for use with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of an information device on a moldedpart storage container in accordance with an embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 3 is an illustration of a container with an RFID in accordance withan embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an information device in accordance withthe embodiment of present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 is a simple schematic illustration of a prior art injectionmolding system 10 for producing molded parts by an injection moldingmachine 11. FIG. 1 shows the injection molding machine 11 and a handlingrobot 13 for transferring the preforms from the injection moldingmachine 11 to a receiving station 74. The system illustrated in FIG. 1can be readily modified to perform the present invention.

The injection molding machine 11 comprises a first mold half 14 with aplurality of cavities therein and a second mold half 16 with a pluralityof elongate cores 18 thereon. The number of cores 18 on the second moldhalf 16 corresponds to the number of cavities in the first mold half 14.The first and second mold halves are mounted on respective platenswhich, during operation, are closed and clamped together under anapplied tonnage clamp force, e.g. by co-operation of tie-bars 20 and ahydraulic cylinder 22. FIG. 1 shows the first and second mold halves 14,16 in a mold-open position, wherein a gap 24, suitable to accommodate atake-out plate 36, is formed between the mold halves 14, 16 held withintheir respective platens.

In the mold-closed position, the elongate cores 18 of the second moldhalf 16 engage in respective cavities of the first mold half 14 to forman injection mold cavity. Plastic material is injected into theinjection mold cavity by known injection molding procedures. Afterinjection of the plastic material, the mold halves 14, 16 remain in themold-closed position until the plastic material has sufficientlysolidified to allow handling of the preforms without causing meaningfuldeformation. The mold halves 14, 16 can then be moved into the mold-openposition to allow removal of the preforms from the elongate cores 18 ofthe second mold half 16.

As shown in FIG. 1, the handling robot 13 removes freshly moldedpreforms from the cores and delivers the removed preforms to thereceiving station 74. The handling robot 13 comprises a take-out plate36 mounted on a free end of a robot arm 38. The robot arm 38 ispreferably configured to provide full movement capabilities for thetake-out plate 36. The robot arm 38 can be implemented using, forexample, linear actuators, although other drive mechanisms are possible.When the mold halves 14, 16 in the injection molding machine 11 areseparated in the mold-open position, the robot arm 38 moves the take-outplate 36 into the gap 24 between the mold halves 14, 16 and positionsthe take-out plate 36 to receive a set of preforms from the mold halves14, 16. The transfer of the preforms onto the take-out plate 36 isaccomplished by the use of a stripper plate 40 associated with thesecond mold half 16, which stripper plate physically engages andmechanically ejects the preforms from the cores, as will be understood.

The take-out plate 36 is preferably arranged to accentuate cooling ofthe preforms while they are being transported to the receiving station74. The take-out plate 36 comprises a set of water cooled cooling tubes42, coupled to the take-out plate, for receiving the freshly moldedpreforms therein. Such water-cooled and/or intimate fit cooling ortake-out tubes 42 are described in our U.S. Pat. No. 4,729,732.

Commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 6,275,741 describes a control system forcontrolling the operation of an injection molding machine and providingprocessing information to a user. The system includes the ability toreceive information from sources outside the injection molding machineand transmit information to devices located remotely from the injectionmolding machine and can be readily modified to implement the presentinvention.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a mold with a memorychip embedded in it is loaded onto the platens in the injection moldingmachine. The memory chip stores detailed information on the type ofproduct that the mold is designed to form. Preferably, the memory chipalso stores a recipe that the control system may reference forcontrolling the operation of the injection molding machine. When themold is mounted in the molding machine, the information stored on thememory chip is transmitted to the control system which can then initiatethe molding process. As parts, such as preforms, are formed in the moldthey are ejected from the mold onto a conveying device such as handlingdevice 13 and transported to a receiving station 74 having a containersuch as a bulk box or transport box. With the present invention, awireless information device or transponder is attached to the containerand a communication device is located adjacent the container when thecontainer is receiving molded parts. While parts are being formed, themachine control system is storing information relative to the moldedparts. The stored information is communicated to the communicationdevice and transmitted to the wireless storage device so that when thecontainer is full, the wireless storage device will have a completerecord of the parts held within the container. The container can then bestored or shipped or provided to another processor such as a blowmolding machine and complete information on the parts within thecontainer is available at the receiving location by providing a wirelessreading device in transmission communication with the wireless storagedevice on the container. A specific embodiment of the invention will bedescribed hereinafter.

Referring to FIG. 2, the injection molding machine 50 has a controlsystem 51 including a controller 52 for controlling the operation of themolding machine as is more fully described in commonly assigned U.S.Pat. No. 6,275,741. The controller 52 is programmable to enable themolding machine 50 to mold different articles and use differentinjection materials. In a preferred embodiment, a memory chip on themold (not shown) mounted on the molding machine 50 stores informationconcerning the mold. This information is automatically transmitted tothe controller 52 when the mold is mounted on the machine 50. Of course,with molds that do not have a memory chip on them the machine operatormay manually load the requisite information into the control system orselect the relevant information from a information repository (such as adatabase).

When the necessary information is loaded into the controller 52, themachine 50 becomes operable and the processing of molded parts can beinitiated. As parts, such as preforms, are molded in the machine theymay be fed by a device such as conveyor 54 into a receiving container56.

It is impractical to attach an RFID tag to each preform. The number ofdifferent types of preforms and the cost of the tags and cost ofactually placing tags on the preforms precludes economically taggingeach preform. However, interested parties such as, for example, the partmolder, shipper, and end user (such as a blow molder in the case ofpreforms), would clearly derive benefit from having readily availableinformation relating to the part. Such information may include, forexample, composition, part description, color, dimension, weight,material (resin), resin additives, layer material in the case ofmultilayer articles, environmental conditions during manufacture such asresin drying conditions and process conditions, date of manufacture,parts count and any other information available on the system about thepreform.

In accordance with a presently preferred embodiment, the controller 52on the injection molding machine 50 stores information concerning theprocessing of the preforms such as the size and weight of the preformsand the number of preforms transported to the receiving container 56.When the container 56 is filled and sealed, the controller 52automatically transmits this stored information onto an informationdevice 28, such as an RFID device having a memory chip, located on thecontainer 56 by means of a communication interface 29. The communicationinterface 29 preferably includes a communication device 30 of themolding machine control system 51 that is configured to communicate withthe information device 28 on the container 56. The container 56 can thenbe shipped or otherwise transferred and the contents of the containercan be readily determined by using a communication device (not shown),such as an RFID reader to read information out of the information deviceon the container 56. The communication device 30 is preferably a RFIDread/write device positioned in close proximity to the informationdevice 28. The RFID device may be embedded in a leg of the container 56.The device 30 is in communication with the controller 52. Thecommunication may be wireless through antennas 46 and 48 or thecommunication device may be hard wire connected to the controller 52through interface 29 of control system 51.

The invention is achieved by locating the information device 28 on aproduct receiving container 56. As shown in FIG. 4, the informationdevice 28 includes an antenna 44 for receiving and transmittinginformation and a memory chip 42 for storing information.

When the container 56 is positioned to receive product from the moldingmachine 50, such as from the end of a conveyor 54 extending from themachine 50, a communication device 30 of the control system, such as awireless read/write head, of the molding machine control system 51 islocated within communication range of the information device 28 oncontainer 56. The communication device 30 receives informationconcerning the parts loaded into container 56 from the machinecontroller 52 and transmits the information to the information device28. When the information is stored in the information device 28, thecontainer 56 can be removed. The container 56 can now be locatedanywhere and the contents of the container 56 can be readily determinedby reading the contents of the memory chip 42.

In operation, the mold (not shown) is loaded onto the platens in themolding machine 50. If the mold (not shown) includes a storage device(not shown) with mold identifying information stored therein, theinformation is fed directly into the memory (not shown) in thecontroller 52 of the molding machine control system 51. If the mold doesnot include such a storage device then the operator must enter theinformation into the control system memory. When the mold information isin memory, the machine operator can then put the remaining controlinformation in the control system memory to enable the machine to startproduction of parts such as preforms.

In accordance with the presently preferred process, the machinecontroller 52 keeps a record of the number of preforms successfully madeand delivered to the container 56 during each injection cycle. Thecontroller 52 also keeps a record of all the physical characteristics ofthe manufactured preforms. When the container 56 is full, the controlsystem 51 transmits the stored information relating to the manufacturedpreforms to the communication device 30 adjacent the container 56. Thecommunication device 30 then stores the information in the informationdevice 28 of the container 56. In addition to storing information in theinformation device 28, or as an alternative thereto, information aboutthe container 56, such as, for example, a unique identifier, is receivedby the communication device 30 from the information device 28 forupdating, for example, a business control system (not shown) that isconnected to the control system 51. In the foregoing alternative, theinformation about the contents of the container 56 could then beretrieved by querying the business/inventory control system withinformation about the container 56 that was received by the reader fromthe information device 28.

The full container 56 can then be removed and transported to anotherlocation for storage or further processing. The contents of thecontainer 56 can then be readily identified by reading the informationstored in the information device 28 attached to the container 56. Thisenables the container 56 to be stored and readily found and also permitssubsequent processing machines such as a blow molding machine to beeasily and accurately set up to process the preforms. In a preferredarrangement, a machine receiving the container would include acommunication device like the communication device 30. The communicationdevice could read the information from the information device 28 andtransmit it to a control system for the receiving machine. The receivingmachine could then be programmed to properly process the articlescontained in the container 56. In the case of a blow molding machine,the preforms in the container 56 could be transferred to a feed hopperthat includes a singulator for feeding properly aligned preforms intothe blow molding machine and the machine control system for the blowmolding machine would enable the blow molding machine to process thepreforms in accordance with the information read from the informationdevice 28 on the container 56. Other machines such as coating machines,crystallization devices and gate cutting machines could be similarlyautomated to receive and process the parts in a container 56 by readingthe information recorded in the information device 28 attached to thecontainer 56.

In addition to the advantage of providing a mechanism for accurately andreadily determining the contents of a container, the invention alsoprovides the ability to improve the business management system as themachine control system can also record the information in the businessmanagement system. This provides the system operator with the ability toreadily determine the location and quantity of any particular partwithin the purview of the management system. Also, a receiver of acontainer of parts can readily identify the parts by reading theinformation from the information device attached to the container andstoring the information in his business management system. The receiverof the parts can then locate and process the parts without having tomake an extensive search for the appropriate container.

The invention provides a simple and inexpensive system for identifyingand selecting a large quantity of identical parts from within manydifferent groups of identical parts. For example, the invention could beapplied to a container filled with lids, cups or containers rather thanpreforms.

The description of the exemplary embodiments provides examples of thepresent invention, and these examples do not limit the scope of thepresent invention. It is understood that the scope of the presentinvention is limited by the claims. The concepts described above may beadapted for specific conditions and/or functions, and may be furtherextended to a variety of other applications that are within the scope ofthe present invention. Having thus described the exemplary embodiments,it will be apparent that modifications and enhancements are possiblewithout departing from the concepts as described. Therefore, what is tobe protected by way of Letters Patent are limited only by the scope ofthe following claims:

1. A communication interface (29) between a control system (51) of amolding machine (50) and an information device (28) attached to a moldedpart storage container (56), the interface (29) comprising: acommunication device (30) of the molding machine control system (51)configured to communicate with the information device (28) on thecontainer (56).
 2. The communication interface (29) of claim 1, whereinthe communication device (30) is configured to store information in theinformation device (28) concerning the molded parts loaded intocontainer (56) by the molding system (50).
 3. The communicationinterface (29) of claim 1, wherein the communication device (30) isconfigured to receive information from the information device (28)concerning the identity of the container (56) for storage withinformation concerning the parts loaded into the container (56) into abusiness system.
 4. The communication interface (29) of claim 1 whereinthe information device (28) is a wireless communication device.
 5. Thecommunication interface (29) of claim 1 wherein the information device(28) is an RFID device.
 6. The communication interface (29) of claim 5,wherein the RFID device includes an antenna (44) and a memory chip (42).7. The communication interface (29) of claim 2 wherein the informationincludes at least one of: composition; part description; color;dimensions; quantity; weight; material; environmental conditions duringmanufacture; and date of manufacture of the parts loaded into thecontainer.
 8. A process for tracking an injection molded part,comprising: configuring a communication interface (29) between acommunication device (30) of a molding machine control system (51) andinformation device (28) attached to a molded part storage container (56)for performing at least one of: i) transmitting information relating tothe molded part from the control system (51) for storage in theinformation device (28); ii) receiving information stored in theinformation device (28) in the control system (51) for updating abusiness control system that is linked to the control system
 51. 9. Theprocess of claim 8, further including: reading the information recordedon the information device (28); and transmitting the information to acontrol system of a station (74) receiving the container (56).
 10. Theprocess of claim 9, wherein: the station (74) is one of: i) a blowmolding machine; ii) a coating machine; iii) a crystallization device;iv) a gate cutting machine.